New CDs

Bruce Springsteen, 'High Hopes' (Columbia)

Bruce Springsteen albums are most often well-constructed, cohesive statements, but "High Hopes" is something different - a collection of covers and leftovers from the last decade or so.

As such, it feels like a musical tag sale, albeit one in a very nice neighborhood.

Springsteen credits Tom Morello as his muse here, and his snarling, squealing guitar does more than anything to tie everything together. Their duet on a ferocious version of the two decade-old song, "The Ghost of Tom Joad," is clearly the album's high point.

Another song familiar to fans, "American Skin (41 Shots)," feels bloated and dated, not helped that a decade's worth of news has made the incident that inspired it recede from the mind. The success of a tag sale depends largely on individual taste, of course.

We're partial to some of the exuberant pop songs here: the title cut and "Just Like Fire Would" are both obscure cover songs.

Springsteen's own "Frankie Fell in Love" is a lark with funny lyrics. They will remind fans of the treasure trove of unreleased material recorded before "Darkness on the Edge of Town."

Some of the material on this disc was originally set aside for good reason, but Springsteen's loyal audience will find things to enjoy. It's best not to come in with hopes too high.

Jennifer Nettles, 'That Girl' (Mercury Nashville)

As lead singer in the contemporary country duo Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles and partner Kristian Bush kept growing increasingly experimental over four albums.

For her first solo album, "That Girl," Nettles takes a different tact, stripping her songs to their basics - both sonically and emotionally. Nettles is blessed with a voice that features a wide range and a distinct, vinegary tone. But it's her ability to connect with a song's emotional content that makes her stand out most.

"That Girl" shows off that quality remarkably well, whether she's singing an open-hearted ballad like "This Angel," a playful yet meaningful bopper like "Moneyball" or a complicated confessional like the title cut.

"That Girl" is a 1970s-style creative statement, recalling classic Carole King and Linda Ronstadt rather than any of her country or pop contemporaries.

It's a reminder of how powerful music can be when it comes from the heart - and tilts more toward talent than technology.

Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound, 'Fine Rude Thing' (Groovesburg Joys)

Within the narrow confines of 1960s R&B, Paul Cebar throws a lot at the wall. And most of his shtick sticks.

"Fine Rude Thing" lives up to its title from the pickup to the first measure, with Cebar screaming something unintelligible before the baritone sax joins in. The tune quickly settles into a satisfying groove, and that's where Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound remains for the rest of the 11-song set, ramshackle yet super-tight.

Almost everything swings, including "Shack & Shambles," which manages to overcome Cebar's worst singing. His two-pack-a-day vocals are sometimes an asset,, and he can make a roadhouse seem like home.

"Hope you make it through another struggling day," he sings. This album helps.

The Associated Press

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New CDs

Bruce Springsteen albums are most often well-constructed, cohesive statements, but 'High Hopes' is something different ? a collection of covers and leftovers from the last decade or so.